My garden in Chelsea week (and blossom from Mum's garden)

 It's Chelsea Flower Show week again, and while I am deciding which are my favourite gardens, here are the stars of my own garden.  I have not been very successful with aquilegia before, but this year, I have three plants which are looking lovely.  The top one is one from my sister, who has several old fashioned, but lovely varieties in her garden.

 I bought this one last year and it is looking fabulous.

 This was supposed to be a blue one, but, as you can see, it's pink!

Tulip 'Blue Parrot' from the 'cosy autumn swap' - thank you to cookie!

 Tulip 'Black Parrot' looking amazingly frilled and beruffled.

 My gold medal goes to Tulip Ballerina (I think you may have guessed that!).  Even as the age, they are still beautiful, elegant and graceful.

 Now to Mum's delicate apple blossom - about a month late, but stunning.

 It is just such a pretty flower and the dark pink buds highlight the white petals.

Spring has finally sprung. Hooray!

Crochet - my first attempt

 Yesterday evening, with some trepidation, I headed out for my first (of two) beginner's crochet class.  I had been told we would be making a hat and possibly a flower.  Here's how I got on.  It was undone quite a few times and I had the dubious pleasure of being the slowest crocheter there.  I have to say, at this stage, I am not sure my attempt will ever become a hat!

I am the sort of person who talks severely to inanimate objects if they fail to do what I insist they need to do (my work colleague, Leanne, can verify this as I am often to be found telling the computer/printer/other inanimate office equipment off).  The wool needed to be spoken to several times (much to the amusement of the other people in the class).  I know that my attempt is far from perfect and, to be honest, I am not sure that crochet and I will have a long-term relationship, but we shall see.  I would like to be able to make granny squares, ripple patterns and flowers...hmm...
I am also rather concerned because I have put my crochet down and haven't done any today, so when I do pick it up again, will I:
1.  Be able to find where I was in the pattern?
2.  Be able to remember how to do the stitches - tr 3, ch3, tr 3, or was that tr 3, ch 1, tr 3?  Or something else altogether?!
Wish me luck next week!

Purple and Orange

Purple and Orange, or to quote from the film Four Weddings and a Funeral, "The ecclesiastical purple and the pagan orange symbolising the mystical symbiosis in marriage between the heathen and Christian traditions".

 No, I just love the colours!  Tulip 'Ballerina' contrasted with Tulip 'Little Beauty' (a gift in the Cosy Autumn Swap) in the top photo and then Tulip 'Black Parrot' below.

 I also like the contrast of green and purple in Black Parrot - this was at the beginning of the week.

I think I am a little obsessed with Ballerina.  It does seems to be extremely photogenic.  The shape seems to change too.

More Black Parrot, this morning.

 The colours are so rich and luxurious, like a velvet.

Just look at Ballerina with the sun shining through the petals!

 The lilac is flowering too.  It was a large tree when we moved here, twenty years ago, but it was felled by very strong winds a couple of years ago.  I though we had lost it, but it has grown back from the base and the flowers are around head height now, so we can really enjoy it.  Nature is marvellous, isn't it?

Delicate and beautifully scented flowers.

Tulipmania begins!

My tulips are looking fantastic!  If you need a boost of bright colour, you have come to the right place.



These are the Tulip Triumph Double - a mix of colours ranging from white to pink, through yellow and orange to red.  They really do lift the spirits.

I couldn't resist some close ups...

The colours just 'zing', don't they?

I like the slightly dusky tones of this pink.  I wouldn't have thought this colour would work with the bright yellows and oranges, but somehow, it seems to.

This is what they look like when the sun shines on them.

Orange is not one of my favourite colours, but I do like it in tulips.  Me, contrary?  Surely not!

I took these photos today, just after a rain shower.  I do like the way the water droplets are caught on the petals.

Here are Tulip 'Black Parrot', showing the intricate frills on the petals.  Still a bit more waiting for this one.  I think I may have crammed too many into the tub, so the flowers may be a little smaller, but we shall see.

More orange, but this time, in the rather delicate and elegant 'Ballerina'.  Here they are yesterday...

...and today!  Gorgeous colours and I can confirm that they are scented too. This is definitely one I shall keep having in the garden.

If all that riot of colour was too much and you need more soothing tones, how about the lilac against the blue sky?  In a few more days, it will be fully out.

Finally, the magnolia is also looking and smelling amazing.  There will be more tulip photos to come - I think I may be just a little obsessed by them at the moment.

Spring flowers

 Here are some more flowers blooming away at the moment.  Above is Erythronium Pagoda (Dog's Tooth Violet) which is looking lovely, with the lampshade-like flowers held on delicate stems.

Looking up into the Erythronium flowers which also captured the beautiful blue sky we had at the weekend.

 Magnolia Liliflora 'Susan' has also got lots of flowers open and lots more to come.

 My first tulips are nearly there.

 I think the mixture of colours is going to be really cheerful.

 Slightly less cheerful, in fact, a little sombre are the flowers of the Snake's Head Fritillary.  I planted a few bulbs in small pots last autumn and here's the result.  The chequerboard pattern is really amazing.

 It does look as though they have been purposely coloured in.

 The inside of the flower is also beautifully patterned  - with clearly defined runways for any passing bees.  I am really enjoying my daily walk around the garden (being small, it doesn't take long) as at the moment,  there seems to be something new to look at each day.

WIP (Work in progress) progress

 I thought it was about time I updated you on my rabbit Work In Progress. It has been a challenge for my sewing skills - both hand sewing and machining and I have taken my time and done some when I felt in the mood to do it. Above, you can see the hat and pantaloons.  This was the second hat I had made and it still didn't seem right.

 Back view of the rather voluminous pantaloons and hat.  I have since decided that I don't like the hat at all so have been searching through various craft books looking for a different pattern.  I think I have found one that might work, but I'll let you know!

 Then came the dress, in plain blue cotton.  I raised the waistline a little from the pattern, as I wanted a sort of Regency feel. 

Then the apron, made from my precious puffed sleeve dress material.  I had toyed with the idea of make a pinafore-type apron, but in the end, I decided just a little apron would be fine.  So, I now have to have a go at the hat and add some hand made lace to either the dress or the apron.  Oh, and then there is her face - a bit of a make or break thing, so it has got to be right!  Once she is finished, I'll post about her again.  Then I would like to make another rabbit, perhaps using a different pattern, so that there are two of them and they won't get lonely!  (Really, I wanted to make the inside of the ears in my puffed sleeved dress material, that is the more prosaic reason for making another rabbit!) 

Spring is springing!

 With warmer temperatures and a bit of sun, the plants in my garden are growing away now.  Above are Narcissus Minnow and Muscari Latifolium.

 Lots of Narcissus Minnow with their pale creamy yellow petals and a splash of brightness in the centre.

 I planted lots of this muscari (grape hyacinth) and I really enjoy the graduation of colour as it opens.

 Tulip 'Ballerina' putting on lots of growth.

 Tulip 'Double Early Triumph' gearing up for flowering.

 Allium 'Gladiator' I think.  I bought three of these last autumn and they all seem to have come through the winter in one piece.  They are supposed to have massive flowers, so we'll see.

Delicate flowers from Prunus incisa 'Kojo-no-mai', looking a picture at the moment.

Finally, Magnolia Liliflora 'Susan', nearly ready to slough off the furry bud covering and unfurl her petals.  A few days more to wait...